King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden talks of carrying each other’s burdens and respect in Christmas address

His Majesty King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden delivered his annual Christmas address on Christmas afternoon where he spoke about carrying each other’s burdens, respecting one another and the year ahead.

The King began his speech saying, “Christmas is a Christian feast. We celebrate it in memory of Jesus’ birth. But the message of Christmas – about peace, joy and fellowship – it is universal and can be covered by all. No matter where you come from or what you believe in.

“It also applies to the invitation that the Bible directs to us: carry each other’s burdens! Do not be tired of doing good.”

He went on to speak about how people should carry each other’s burdens and be willing to help. The King said reaching out a hand is much stronger than hate, violence or distrust. This led to the mentioning of the terror attack in Stockholm in April where he sent warm wishes to the families of the five victims who lost their lives on what he called their “difficult first Christmas.”

From there, His Majesty asked the Swedish people about how to treat each other with respect and to have accountability. He said the way they answer the question “will shape the society in which our children and young people grow up. Therefore, I hope this is something we continue to talk about now and beyond.”

King Carl XVI Gustaf went on to mention events from 2017 that he will remember: Aurora- the most extensive defence practice in Sweden since the 1990s, the climate summit in Switzerland, Finland celebrating its centenary, Crown Princess Victoria’s 40th birthday and the launch of her hikes through the Swedish landscape, the birth and christening of Prince Gabriel and the announcement of Princess Madeleine’s third pregnancy.

The King of Sweden concluded his annual speech by thanking the Swedish people for their congratulations through the year and the warm welcomes they received wherever they went. Finally, the King said, “With this, my family and I wish to give everyone in our country a happy Christmas with peace, joy and fellowship – and then a happy new year in 2018.”

The 10-minute speech can be viewed in Swedish on SVT Play until 24 January 2018.

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Brittani is from Tennessee, USA. She is a political scientist and historian after graduating with a degree in the topics from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, in December 2014. She also holds a master's degree from Northeastern University. She enjoys reading and researching all things regarding the royals of the world. Her love of royals began in middle school, and she's been researching, reading, and writing on royalty for over a decade. She became Europe Editor in October 2016, and then Deputy Editor in January 2019, and has been featured on several podcasts, radio shows, news broadcasts and websites.